Communicating with Employees in Turbulent Times
As companies struggle to deal with the worsening economy, employee communication is often neglected. Yet ignoring employees’ concerns can be costly in more ways than one. If not addressed, employee anxiety reduces productivity and may ultimately impact the bottom line via stress-related illness, absenteeism, and decreased employee engagement and loyalty.
Here are five tips for communicating effectively in turbulent times.
#1: The C-Level Needs to be Seen
As a general rule, senior leader visibility and accessibility need to increase in proportion to the number of “unknowns” in an organization. Instead of waiting to hold town hall meetings until all of the details have been worked out, communicate frequently when options are being weighed and decisions are being made.
#2: Eliminate the Strain of Silence
Unfortunately, many presidents and CEOs are reluctant to hold town hall meetings or webinars in times of uncertainty. They may be thinking, What on earth could I say when I don’t even know for certain how the financial situation will impact us or what we will do about it?” The temptation may be to hold off on communicating until you know more.
Unfortunately, silence only leads to rumors. If concerns and rumors are left unaddressed, momentum builds and leads to distrust. For employees to trust their management teams, leaders need to communicate openly and honestly about what’s happening.
#3: Acknowledge the Anxiety
When you don’t have the answers, communicate possibilities and probabilities. According to communication experts TJ and Sandar Larkin, “The reason employees come to distrust their managers is not because managers told them something bad, but because they told them nothing at all.”
Organizational transitions expert William Bridges agrees. Bridges believes that it is better to say, “I don’t know what we will do about X, but I commit to letting you know as soon as I do” than it is to say nothing.
#4: Convey Realistic Optimism
When Lehman Brothers announced bankruptcy last fall, employees throughout the financial industry started to panic. The Navy Federal Credit Union in Vienna, Va., responded with a letter from its president. In the letter, employees were reassured with the reminder that the credit union is a very conservative organization that never ventured into subprime lending. At the same time, the president explained that the credit union was not immune to the crisis.
This blend of “realistic optimism” is something that leaders should strive for. Employees don’t want the truth to be sugar-coated. Communication expert Robert Holland urges leaders to consider a message like: “I know the financial crisis has touched each one of you in very personal ways. These are troubling times, but let me tell you what our company is doing to weather the storm.”
#5: Reach out to Remote Employees
In times like these, it would be easy for employees in remote and field offices to feel out of the loop and fearful. The Denver-based director of a West Coast company that is in the middle of a major restructuring is addressing these concerns by implementing a consistent communication plan consisting of:
1. A 15-minute meeting every Monday morning with all employees to share any news/decisions that have taken place over the weekend.
2. A structured all-hands meeting every Wednesday afternoon, where the agenda consists of what rumors people have heard, what we know now, and what we don’t know.
3. A Friday afternoon e-mail to all employees summarizing the week’s news regarding the reorganization.
The beauty of such a plan comes from its consistency and openness. People trust that they know what is really happening and feel comfortable raising their concerns. The portion of the all-hands meeting that addresses the rumors results in some good laughs. The whole office feels connected and supported.
Whatever the format, it is critical for senior leaders to acknowledge the anxiety and engage employees in two-way communication. Good leaders recognize that when anxiety is running high, employee communication is not optional, it’s imperative.
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